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China, Japan weigh delay in Xi Jinping’s state visit to Tokyo due to coronavirus spread
- Xi’s visit initially planned for early April but ‘may be postponed until autumn’
- New coronavirus cases in China continue to slow, but rise rapidly in other countries like South Korea
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Beijing and Tokyo are considering postponing Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Japan until the autumn because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, Japanese media reported on Sunday, citing diplomatic sources in both countries.
The reports came as new coronavirus cases in China continued to slow, while infections in other countries rose sharply, raising concerns about a possible worldwide pandemic.
New South Korean cases exceeded those in China for a third straight day and included a 45-day-old boy. The United States, Australia and Thailand all reported their first deaths from the epidemic, while Ireland and Luxembourg reported their first confirmed cases.
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Xi’s state visit to Japan had been planned for April 6-10 and, if it goes ahead, will be the first by a Chinese president since Hu Jintao in May 2008.
“Although there are no changes in the schedule as of now, Japan and China will continue to closely communicate with each other, keeping in mind the need to have a productive meeting,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Saturday.
But Tokyo had already approached Beijing about putting off Xi’s visit, the Yomiuri newspaper reported, citing Japanese government sources.
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